SARAH ANNE LEROUX
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wednesday, oct 9th

10/11/2019

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​Was Day 3 harder or easier than the the past two days without social media? Explain why you think that. 

​​What my students are saying: 
​Day 3 was harder, because I was thinking to go on Snapchat, Tik Tok and pinterest, but most of all it was pinterest. 

It's really harder I find the time really long at school and at home.
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​Have you had a moment of weakness? If so, why? If not, why not?

​What my students are saying: Yes I had some moment of weakness, like this morning I was about to go on Snapchat to look at some picture and take some picture. 

Yes a have because Im always on Tiktok  so I find the time long but I go on youtube instead.

It's Is very good I do not faidite tempting for me and I just feel relaxse and I am reely fun for me and I feely mor prodoctife and I do more ting And the app that is youtub

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​How are you using your time differently without social media?

​What my students are saying: 
​I am using more youtube, netflix, reading book I am reading Girl, stop apologizing and doing my chores at home like my laundry, cleaning my room and ect...

​Well am using youtube and I watch dance videos, and I do a slide for my friend to know if they really knows me, I'm playing outside with Stella and William, I'm going to watch William's hockey game.

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tuesday, oct 8th (day 2 check-in)

10/8/2019

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WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT YOUR DETOX? wHAT ARE THEIR REACTIONS? 

Mme Lalonde: When I tell people that I am doing a social media detox, they are very surpised. They often ask why and what the purpose is. Sometimes they tell me that they would never be able to do it, but encourage me. When I told my students, they seemed shocked, but then once I explained everything, they wanted to join! I think that I am a good role model for my students and can help them! 

​What my students are saying:
My dad said that I would be able to this for one month, my cousin's reaction was why are you doing this for, well a said that it was a challenge that my teacher wanted us to do. 

Most of the people are saying that it's good for you to take a break and do something more productive.

Well, my Mom was shocked that I was doing it and my Dad was just bugging me for it. Most of my friends are doing it white me so they were not really surprised about it .and I think I told my big sisters and my big brother about they were supportive and they try not to bug me.

My friend are saying that im crazy to do this, Véronic and Simon are really happy that am taking a break forme Tiktok Snapchat Instagram  and facebook.


hOW DO YOU FIND YOUR MIND? (mORE RELAXED, LESS WORRIED, MORE CALM, MORE FOCUSED?) 

I can definitely say that my mind is less busy. I am not thinking or worrying about everything that I see on social media all the time. I am not comparing myself as much and feel overall more happy. I think that my body and mind are much calmer. However, sometimes when I think about what I am missing on Twitter, I find myself getting a little anxious. I hope that with the next upcoming days and weeks I am able to find more peace about the FOMO on Twitter. 

​​What my students are saying:
I find my mind less worried because, I don't have to worry about how I look like in pictures. I'm able to focused more in class because I don't have to go on social medial all the time I can not go on. 

I do feel more relaxed and more calm with this .

​​I find my mind extremely tense but RELAX and I guess I have more time to do stuff. and most of the time I paint find writing ideas. I try to make time go faster for all of the tings are doing .and I work on most of my assignments. 
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I find my mind more focused on the real life and more relaxes,
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WHAT OTHER APPS ARE YOU FINDING YOURSELF USING INSTEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA? 

I have noticed that I am constantly opening up my PHOTOS app on my phone to keep my brain busy and looking at something. I will aimlessly scroll through my photos to entertain me. I have also started watching Youtube videos (which I never ever ever) did before. I am not sure if I will continue to have the Youtube app on my phone as it is simply seeming to take the place of other social medias. 

​​What my students are saying:
The apps I'm more use youtube I watch AlishaMarieVlogs and Netflix I watch sugar rush. 

I am using youtube as my app. 

​I am using allot more youtube and even Netflix and google docs and google slides. 

The other apps I am using is youtube, my photos. I am reading like  books, school work and juste talking with other people. 

​Well am using youtube to pud music and danse to, I play some games that I was on my phone, Im using https://soap2day.com to watch my favorite movie Descendants 1 2 and 3

 
What my students are saying... (other responses) 

This is my second day doing the detox I was challenged by my teacher madame Lalonde. So far it's been hard I miss social media but at the same time I find i'm more present in class and at home I like having to make plans and meeting up with my friends instead of having to text them and end up not making plans. I also find that my sleep is much better since im not on my phone till 1 or even 2 I find that I pay more attention when people talk or even just in class since I don't have snapchat notifs or instagram dm's I believe in myself and think that i will be able to complete this challenge.  

What is the main reason why you are not able to be away from your phone? How do you feel without it.....The main reason why i can not be away from my phone is because im soo used to having it with me that its like attached to me and i have everything on it so i can not leave it with someone. I feel bored or lonely without my phone because thats how i comunicate with the people i love when i cant be with them, i also feel very weird and i will probably just go to sleep and past the time if i have no service or my phone. 
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How many times a day do you think your check your phone? I check my phone like every minute unless im very busy or if im not aloud to be on it. I hate not having it with me or if i cant be on it because it just gives me anxiety and stress. 

How much time (hours) do you think you spend on your phone?I honestly spend a lot of time on my phone and sometimes im sure ill be like 1 hour on my phone, not 2 because after a while i wont have nothing to do on it. I dont hate always being on my phone because its part of my lifestyle and its something that i do and not realize it so like i dont hate myself for being on it all the time.

What are you most used apps? Rate them in order 1 - 5. 
​The first app i ALWAYS open is snapchat because thats mainly how i comunicate with my friends and i see peoples stories and what they are doing. The second app i open is instagram because i like to see what people post and i like to watch memes and funny  meme vidoes. The third app is facebook because i see what my family posts and the new things they got or what they are doing. My 4th app would be tik tok because usually there are some funny vidoes and stuff that i can relate too. And finally my 5th app is VSCO because ill check if i got any notifications or if anyone republished any of my pictures and stuff.



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SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX (oct 7th 2019)

10/7/2019

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My class takes on a social
​media detox for 5 days!

ALLOWED
- Messenger
-Classroom 
​- Gmail
- Youtube
- Netflix
- Facetime
NOT ALLOWED
- FACEBOOK
- SNAPCHAT
- VSCO
- INSTAGRAM
- PINTEREST
​-TIKTOK 
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HOW YOUR PHONE IS CHANGING YOU... 

The blue light on your phone prevents you from:
- going into a deep sleep
- falling asleep
​- creating melatonine to help you sleep

Looking at your phone causes MYOPIA (near sightedness):
-
​ half of the population needs glasses

We are becoming humpback whale:
​- people curve their backs to look at their phones

why you should do a social media detox

  1. There are 4.7 hours spent on social media a day (on average). We could be MORE PRODUCTIVE with our time. 
  2. Less social media can allows you to be less stressed
  3. Have more space in your brain for other things... 
  4. Feel like you have MORE TIME 
  5. Without social media you are MORE HELPFUL and MORE KIND
  6. AT THE END OF THE DETOX, YOU APPRECIATE YOUR PHONE MORE AND USE IT BETTER 

DAY 7 CHECK-IN 

Why did you decide to commit to the detox? (2 REASONS)
I decided to take on the detox because I wanted to challenge myself. I also think that this is a good opportunity for growth. I want to see if I can be strong and not go on. I also want to see if I feel better without Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram.

​How has it been so far, not using social media? (What are your thoughts, comments, feelings, anxieties?) 
It has been very hard not using Twitter. I have an easier ability to not go on Instagram and Snapchat but I have been living FOMO with Twitter. I constantly want to check to see what is going on without me. I often stop myself from looking for the app on my phone. 
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What my students are saying:

Why did you decide to commit to the detox?

I decide to do this because it's a good opportunity to see who your are.

So the reason that I decide to commit to the detox, it because I just need some time off of my phone and the social medial.  

I'm only doing it once a week but today it's been really relaxing I can sorta focus more and see more reality.
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I decide to commit to do the detox for my perants  to stop annoying me and to see to if i could last 5 days whit none of the social media.

I decided to commit to the detox because I know can do it for month. I like to do challenge it help to concentrate on other things or sometime I read a book. 

how are you feeling so far? 

So far it been good, my feeling is I am more happy, I have lass stress and I sleep better.

I'm not having any anxieties or feelings about it but my thoughts about it are I can been mentally  healthier  and my comments is this is a good thing to do when your stressed.

I am feeling just fine. 

I think so far is going good because wan i did not have a phone I can not go on social media at all for a year.  So I got  a year of practice. ​

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WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO NOT DO THE DETOX? ( 2 REASONS)
I decided to not do the detox because i am addicted to social media and my phone. I also like to be caught up on whats going on online and i like texting my friends.
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WHY DO YOU THINK OTHERS SAID YES TO DOING IT?
I think that the others did it because they find it ​
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How I not only survived but thrived during  my first semester teaching high school!

2/5/2019

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As a new teacher, I have been sharing my learning journey from the Faculty to the Field since early 2016. I have contributed in many ways; whether it was through a series of blog posts on my website, podcast episodes with Que sera Sarah, Twitter chats, EdTech Team Summits or even live radio shows such as #onEdMentors. I have continuously taken the risk in opening up my journey for people to read/listen and hopefully be inspired. This openness has allowed me to reflect, share my highs and lows, receive constructive feedback, have a dialogue with other educators as well as contribute to the world of teacher candidates and new teachers in an online space and beyond.

As a recent graduate of the University of Ottawa, I am very fortunate to have gotten hired in June of 2018 for a full time teaching position with the school board of my dreams! I am now working in a small rural school, only a short distance away from my house, teaching grade 9 and 10. I must admit that my previously mentioned involvement in blogging, PD sessions, and social media allowed me to be visible to the school board of my dreams and most definitely helped in the hiring process.  

Fast forward many months… As I have now completed my first official high school semester! (Insert celebration song) Marking ✔ Exams ✔ Report cards ✔ First semester ✔ Without a doubt, closing off this semester is bittersweet. It is the first of MANY. Thankfully, this natural transition has allowed me to take the time for a quick pause to reflect on how I was not only able to survive but thrive through my first semester of teaching. In the end, I broke it down into 5 main ideas.

ask questions

Accept what you do not know and allow yourself to grow. Each question you ask is a learning opportunity to add to your knowledge and baggage that you are continuously building, processing and using. I must admit that I used to be a student who was petrified of asking questions… It wasn’t until I understood the concept of Growth Mindset that I began embracing the fact that I could be curious and seek new knowledge without feeling vulnerable for not knowing the answer.

Asking questions also has a lot to do with being curious about the people around you - ask them questions, be interested in them. You never know what you might have in common with them and what relationships may come out of it! In addition, don’t only ask others questions, but don’t forget to question yourself. Keep examining your practice and taking the time to reflect. Reflection is the seed you plant, and putting that practice in place allows you to grow.

be yourself

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I feel as though it is fair to say that: “At the beginning of your teaching career, no one necessarily knows who they are.” I believe it is important to know who you are currently, who you want to be and how you want to get there. Naturally, you have to understand that there are so many experiences to be had to allow you to develop tons of your teaching self; that is a mindset I adopted early on in September. I believe that...      In order to be the best version of yourself as an educator, you have to stay true to who you are and your core values. There’s no better feeling in the world than when you can be yourself in front of the class and a group of students. So, be proud of who you are and be your authentic self! Students can smell a phony from a mile away ;) When you show your true colours, students are more prone to feel comfortable demonstrating who they are with you… it’s in the classroom culture! ​

get involved

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I hesitated to put this advice in the blog, but I realized that this was a huge component in my success this semester. Evidently, there is a fine line in the infamous concept of finding balance. On one hand, you do not want to take on too much; you need to be aware of your time management; be conscious of your mental health and overall workload… But on the other hand, you’re a new teacher and everything is so new and exciting. Plus, if you’re passionate like me, you want to get involved in everything. You want to show that you are interested, curious and willing to contribute because that’s what DRIVES you.

What I have already learned about that ^^^ is:

Prioritizing is a skill I am constantly developing and my mindset for 2019 is: If it’s not a “hell yes” when I am asked to do something, then it’s a no. So focus on what is IMPORTANT to you and brings meaning to your work. A good start would be deciding what IS truly important to you and where you can put your time and energy. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.

mentorship matters (yes again!)

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As a new teacher, I am currently in the process of completing my NTIP(aussi connu sous le nom de PIPNPE en français) where I have been associated with a mentor in my school and must complete 2 evaluations from my principal. In my opinion, the most important aspect of this program is the mentorship. I must admit, my in-school mentorship has saved me. Big time! Being able to choose an educator who is able to support me in every aspect of my teaching, in who I feel I can confide in and trust changes the game.

I also got involved in the #OnEdMentorsConnect program with Noa Daniel and Leigh Cassel. I had the pleasure of being mentored by Eryka Desrosiers, an innovative English teacher in Quebec. We documented our mentee and mentor conversations through sketchnotes, Google Docs, and a couple podcasts. Take a listen to our first one here.  (If you are a new teacher looking for a mentor, do not be shy to reach out to myself, Noa or Leigh!)

The thing about mentorship is that your mentor/mentee relationship does not have to be “official” through a program; it can be informal and sometimes you may have people who are not even aware they are mentoring you. Many members of your PLN could mentor you in different ways. All things considered, my advice is to not be scared to find someone to lean on. Find educators, find experts, ask them questions and build relationships with them.

STOP COMPARING YOURSELF ​

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Lastly, and most importantly... Don’t try and be the teacher across from you, or the teacher you saw on Instagram or the teacher who won the best teacher award three years in a row…
During an OnEdMentors show, a line from new teacher Karaline Vlahopoulos shared some wise words: Do not compare your Chapter 1 to someone’s Chapter 7, 15 or even 23! If you’re interested in listening to that conversation, you can catch it here.  
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Simply be happy with where you are RIGHT now. If you keep a growth mindset, ask questions, be yourself, stop comparing and find people to support you - I can almost promise that you will be able to live a successful first year of teaching.

Going into my second semester, I am going to take my own advice. Keep my focus on what works, ask myself how I can improve and continuously try and find balance.

An extra resource I want to share for any new teachers reading is the free Disillusionment Power Pack from Roxanna Elden. “The Disillusionment Power Pack is a free, one-month series of the emails I'd send to the first-year-teacher version of myself. I don't send these emails to most of the people on my mailing list, nor will you find them on my website. They are my small experiment in over-sharing for new teachers who are having really bad days right now. If that's you, sign up below to receive emails every few days for one month. Which, as you'll see soon, might be all you really need.” I felt as though the e-mails found in my Inbox really spoke to me and what I was going through that week - yes, kind of like magic. You can sign up to receive these emails at: RoxannaElden.com

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“Bonjour, je m’appelle Mme Lalonde and I’m going to be your teacher this year!”

9/23/2018

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Salut, cher lecteur, et merci d'être ici! 

En mai, j’ai eu le plaisir absolu d’être engagé par le CSDCEO. J’ai accepté un poste à temps plein régulier à l’École secondaire catholique Le Relais à Alexandria, Ontario. J’ai la chance d’enseigner les élèves de 9e et 10e année en English, Français et Histoire ce semestre; ainsi que English, Histoire et Géographie le semestre prochain. Les billets de blogues que j’envisage publier seront axés sur mon cheminement en enseignement. Étant toute nouvelle dans cette profession, j’ai encore beaucoup à apprendre, donc pourquoi ne pas le documenter ici! Depuis 4 semaines j’ai vécu ma première rentrée scolaire. Une occasion de partir sur le bon pied avec tes élèves, apprendre à les connaître, faire des diagnostics, créer des communautés d’apprentissage qui ont un climat de classe positif, etc. Voici ma réflexion par rapport à ces dernières 4 semaines. 

​(Disclaimer : All of my blogs are going to be completely bilingual!)

​Recently, I’ve been living moments where I am pulling into the school parking lot, unlocking my classroom or simply walking through the hallways at break when I have stopped and am struck with this feeling of gratitude and wonder. I think to myself: “Wow, I am a teacher. This is my school. I have students. I have co-workers. I am so happy.” I have told a lot of people this when they ask, but I am simply living the dream, every single day. Of course, not every day has been perfect but this “teaching thing”, I can officially say, is for me. (Are you surprised? Because I’m not…) It has simply been everything I have imagined, and more! I hope I can take this feeling into the next few months as the semester progresses. And if not, I will come back to read this blog! I think it’s so important to have these moments and live in the happiness of what you get to do every day. 

APPRENTISSAGE OVERLOAD :

Comme nouvelle enseignante, il va sans dire que l’apprentissage que je fais chaque jour est non seulement fondamental, pourtant un peu accablant. Il a certains jours, je vis une surcharge de nouvelles informations, de contenus et de stratégies d’enseignements et c’est beaucoup à traiter, à analyser, à comprendre et se rappeler. Je suis une éponge quand ça vient à écouter des enseignants qui parlent de pédagogie, donc je suis toujours à la recherche de façon pour améliorer ma pratique pédagogique. C’est la beauté d’être non seulement une nouvelle enseignante en train de développer mon art, mais aussi d’être apprenante à vie; l’apprentissage ne se termine jamais, il n’y a pas de fin.  Le processus se vit comme un peu comme : un moment : « Woah ». Arrête. Demande de l’aide. Questionne. Réfléchis. Change. Adapte. Continue. Répète. 


​JE SUIS LÀ POUR EUX:

​Mes élèves… Oh, mes élèves. Comme ils sont extraordinaires. Je suis très chanceuse d’enseigner au même groupe d’élève en English et en Français en 9e année (environ 10 élèves) et à un beau groupe de 25 élèves de 10e année en Histoire. En début d’année, je voulais trois choses: commencer sur le bon pied, bâtir une communauté d'apprentissage et un climat de classe de confiance. J’y beaucoup réfléchit à comment structuré mes cours et quelles activités accomplir afin de réaliser mes buts. En fin de compte, voici ce que j’ai accompli : j’ai créé un  Kahoot où les élèves devaient deviner des réponses à des questions aléatoires sur ma vie, ils ont rempli un Google Forms pour que j’aille leur profile d’apprenant, ils ont vécu le défi de spaghetti et marshmellow, nous avons eu une introduction sur le Sketchnote, ils se sont fixé des buts dans leur cours de français, ils ont créé Vision Board dans le cours d’English, ils ont été introduits à Flipgrid et autres… Je pense véritablement qu’avoir pris ces moments en début de l’année m’a permis d’avoir gagné leur confiance, où je prends des risques et m’ouvre à eux, donc ils sont plus susceptibles à leur faire pour moi. 

Ce matin, j’ai tellement souri quand un élève m’a remis des fleurs qu’elle avait fraîchement cueillies. C’est non seulement le personnel de l’école qui joue un rôle dans l’accueil+le climat scolaire, c’est autant les élèves! #OnEstBienCSDCEO #Accueil #ClimatScolaire @ESCLeRelais pic.twitter.com/ReaWA3UsBV

— Sarah Anne Lalonde (@sarahlalondee) September 18, 2018

​Comme les jours et les semaines passent rapidement, j’apprends à les connaître à chaque période qu’on passe ensemble. Je ne peux pas croire que c’est seulement le premier mois. Nous avons encore plus de cheminement à faire ensemble en tant que groupe classe, et je me questionne où on va se rendre après deux, trois et même 4 mois. Des petites victoires que j’ai vécues avec eux à date seraient que: j’ai reçu des fleurs mardi matin d’une de mes élèves. et puis, lors de l’écriture de leur autobiographie, quelques-unes d’entre eux m’ont choisi comme leur enseignante préférée. C'est déjà bon signe... 

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​LIVING THROUGH THE MOTIONS:

All things considered, emotions have been running high since August 27th. I have been living through the ups and downs of starting off my first year of teaching, however, I am glad to say that the big emotions I’ve been feeling is being excited to go to school, each and every day. This excitement exists in me, mostly because of the lovely community, supportive staff and kind students I work with. From the librarian to the hall monitors that I see every day, they all play such an important role. Nonetheless, I have been very conscious of how I have been feeling mentally and physically. I want to make sure that I am taking care of my body and my mind to be the best educator and mentor for my students as well as a supportive team member at school. It goes without saying that I like to take on a lot of things and have a hard time saying no to an opportunity (because I am so passionate about everything!!), but I am proud of the pace that I am working at. Now I just have to keep it up.
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THE PRESSURE IS ON:

À ce jour, je me sens bien par rapport à qui je suis en tant qu’enseignante. Toutefois, ce n’est pas évident essayer de trouver ton style, connaître les élèves, partager sur les réseaux sociaux, planifier tes cours, être social avec les autres, bien manger et j’en passe… C’est un processus qui va durer des années, mais petit à petit je construis ma philosophie et j’établis mon style. Cependant, je dois avouer que la pression d’être une « bonne » enseignante existe et je le sens. Je me sens comme si je veux tellement adéquatement faire pour le bien de mes élèves que je me mets beaucoup de pression. Cette pression m’aide parfois à briller, mais à un certain point je réalise que chacune de mes leçons ne doivent pas être 10/10 et WOW! en tout temps (et c’est correct!). C’est tout un apprentissage. 


​#MENTORSMATTER :

Moving forward, I’ve always known the importance of mentorship. Thanks to my PLN, I have many mentors who are experts in difference areas. Their support has allowed me to grow exponentially as a teacher candidate (and now a 1st year teacher) as most of my professional development was very personalized. You also feel less alone and isolated thanks to mentors, you can bounce off ideas with them and feel like you’re more likely to succeed thanks to their advice and wisdom. (On an unrelated note: I believe that it is in most educator’s DNA to want to help new teachers and I am so thankful!) On top of all of the specialists and veteran educators I’ve connected with online, I have recently discovered the importance of have a mentor in your school. The best part about this mentorship is that the person helping you is easily accessible. You can open your classroom up to them, you can ask them all of your silly questions (and good ones too), you can also get insight on different students and how to approach them. Grâce à mon PIPNPE (programme d’insertion professionnelle pour le nouveau personnel enseignant) avec le conseil, je suis très chanceuse d’avoir un mentor innovateur qui prend des risques et qui cherche à faire autrement. J'ai tellement hâte de voir le cheminement que je vais faire avec lui aussi! Mathieu Glaude est leader pédagogique de l’école, il offre son appui dans plusieurs domaines dont il excelle, il veux toujours explorer des collaborations et il pense souvent à partager des documents en lien avec le PAÉ de l’école. Voici un document qu’il m’a partagé récemment qui évalue une classe centrée sur la performance VS une classe centrée sur l’apprentissage :
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Bien sûr, nous aimerions passer de la colonne de droite à celui à gauche. Donc, où situez-vous sur cette pendule? Est-ce qu’il y a des aspects où tu es plus à gauche qu’à droit ou vice versa? Moi, je veux surtout continuer de m’axer sur – moins de connaissance, plus de compétences – moins de silence et plus de questions, collaboration et échanges. Je me sens à l’aise avec tout ce qui est dans la colonne à droite, mais je cherche encore à trouver des façons de mettre ceux-ci en action! ​

​Lately, I have also been working with another mentor (thanks to #OnEdMentors and #OEMConnect) whom I truly admire. Eryka Desrosiers and I meet up virtually every week to share a debrief of our week and I usually ask her upwards of 20 questions that I note down throughout the week. I am so fortunate that Eryka’s specialty is in languages. She supports me in the creation of my crazy ideas and provides me strategies to overcome certain obstacles I have been facing, whether through planning, teaching, grading, etc. Eryka even wrote a book for new teachers as she was beginning in the profession... a lot of what she writes about resonates with me. It's called: Journal d'une nouvelle enseignante - De l'université à la salle de classe. Check it out here.  

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All I can say is that the KEY to a new teacher’s success is MENTORSHIP – case closed. (Edutopia even recently posted an article about how #MentorsMatter

Mentors matter. In fact, teachers are twice as likely to stay in the profession if they have one. pic.twitter.com/k2etnu0RG1

— edutopia (@edutopia) 21 septembre 2018
As September comes to an end this week, I look forward to finishing my month strong, reflecting on how it went and setting new goals for October. I am spending Thursday / Friday of this week in Moncton, New Brunswick presenting au congrès de l’ACELF with a focus on podcasting. I want to end with a something I have finished my blogs with in the past, and that is 2 GLOWS and 2 GROWS. A great strategy as well for how to frame feedback in the classroom. (Not my idea totally stole it from somewhere and someone).

GLOWS:
  1. All of the positive vibes I have been giving and receiving so far this school year, that has allowed me to GLOW. 
  2. Positive relationships I have started building with my students which will ultimately allow me to better connect and help support them in their learning throughout the semester.

GROWS:​
  1. I didn't mention this in the space above but I am truly working on implementing the Historical Thinking concepts in my History class, as I work through the ins and outs of those concepts I look forward to becoming more confident in applying them. 
  2. We have been talking about this a lot, online and in my school recently, but evaluating and assessing less and more efficient and effectively. 
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WEEK 10 (FINAL REFLECTION) 30 things i learnt during my 2nd year placement

4/29/2018

4 Commentaires

 
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As of, May 2nd, I have officially COMPLETED my B.ED!!  (Cue the CELEBRATION SONG!)
​This blog post comes a couple week later because I truly wanted to let the experience sink in before I shared my reflection. I also took a quick vacation at the most magical place on earth to celebrate! 
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For those who haven’t been following my journey but are tuning in now. I have just recently completed my 2nd year placement of 10 weeks at a high school in Cornwall, Ontario.  (You can read about it in the previous 9 blog posts)!! Et si vous avez tenu compte de mes blogues précédents, merci d'être de retour! 

What better way to end off this placement than create a list of the 30 things I learnt during my placement? 
Why 30? Well, it just seemed like well rounded number… I could have written 100 things but time did not allow it. I had created this (before the blog) to hand back to my associate teacher, but then I thought: Why not share it? 

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​This is what it looked like: 
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  1. It is so important to know your students and show you CARE in order to help build positive relationships
  2. Patience is always key (in any situation)
  3. You do not always have to use the “Atelier” to make a rubric
  4. *Sometimes* just winging it works wonders
  5. It is important to know yourself (strengths and weaknesses) in order to be a better teacher
  6. Being vulnerable and open with the students is very valuable (and will be reciprocal)
  7. Your lesson plan might not go as planned and that’s OK!
  8. Connecting with other teachers helps you in so many ways
  9. Coffee is a necessity...☕ 
  10. ​A calm demeanour helps the overall feel of the classroom
  11. Always have your curriculum handy!!!
  12. Respect is the answer to most of your problems in teaching
  13. Positive and authentic reinforcement goes a long way
  14. Letting the students be the experts is exciting!
  15. Your attitude in the classroom reflects the student’s attitude. So smile, be happy and spread the joy.
  16. Being on top of your game with marking is SO IMPORTANT (especially in English)
  17. You should always let the students surprise you (not hold grudges)
  18. Questioning and reflecting on your practice helps you grow as an educator
  19. You have to be adaptable to change (at all times!)
  20. Il ne faut pas toujours réinventer la roue...
  21. Reward the students and giving them a break (sometimes with a good Kahoot is FUN!)
  22. making the students be accountable for their learning is I M P O R T A N T
  23. You can’t say yes to everything in your first few years of teaching….. Oops
  24. Teaching is a full time job that you end up bringing home with you every night
  25. Finding balance is absolutely positively important - but not easy.
  26. Technology will not always work and / or be on your side (prepare for a PLAN B,C,D…)
  27. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. x100
  28. Being passionate about what you teach will always shine through
  29. Taking the time to eat is beneficial (Still learning this one)
  30. TEACHING IS A LOT OF WORK BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT
Overall, I think that this placement taught me more than words can describe. Having the opportunity to live a real and true placement by building units from the ground up, creating different types of evaluations, dealing with different types of behaviours, staying late after school and working during lunch really showed me the beauty, along with the blood sweat and tears of teaching.  I have reflected a lot and grown throughout this journey (and luckily have documented it all here!!) 


​ce que j'ai adoré de l'école secondaire 

Au début, je dois avouer que je n'étais pas trop certaine si l'école secondaire était véritablement faite pour moi. Étant quelqu'un qui a toujours adoré être avec les petits, les "plus grands" m'intimidaient, par contre, j'ai rapidement grandi avec eu et nous avons créés de relations de confiances. Ces élèves avaient non seulement de la confiance en moi, mais aussi de l'empathie et du respect. Et puis, gagner le respect des adolescents n'est pas toujours facile. Mais à la fin de mon stage, il va sans dire que ces liens étaient très forts, car ils étaient tristes de me voir partir. Bref, j'ai travaillé très fort à  les connaitre, à parler souvent avec eu, les récompenser et leur montrer que j'avais à coeur leur développement en English, leur succès et leur bien-être. En fin de compte, j'ai essayé très fort pour toujours TOUT faire ce que je pouvais afin de garantir leur réussite et leur bonheur. 

J'ai aussi adoré le contenu. Ce n'est pas toujours facile enseigner les langues, mais cette matière est très flexible. J'ai capoté sur le fait que j’étais capable de faire les choses autrement en English et incorporer plein de nouvelles idées, technologies et stratégies d’enseignement. J'ai beaucoup appris de moi-même (points forts et faibles) de mes connaissances dans la matière elle-même. Les élèves m'ont aidé à apprendre des nouveaux mots, concepts, principes historiques, etc. Ceci m'inspire à apprendre davantage chaque jour afin de continuer mon développement en tant que nouvelle enseignante. 
​

what i am still working on... 

Finding balance. Finding balance. Finding balance. Finding balance. Finding balance. 

Almost every teacher I spoke with told me that the first 1-3 years of teaching are always the most difficult. Don't get me wrong, teaching is already super energy draining and exhausting if you are a veteran teacher, let alone having to build units from the ground up, get to know your curriculum, build your resources and teach a full course load in your first years. That being said, since you spend a lot more time planning and prepping (and figuring your life out) in the first few years of teaching you can't necessarily take on 101 other projects (sigh). I know that this is going to be difficult for me (who is someone always looking to get involved!!). However, I know the importance of knowing your limits, taking time for yourself and not burning yourself out - because that is the LAST thing I want. So, I can admit that I am still working on finding that balance in my life (professional and personal). 

I am also still trying to figure out if I am suited for elementary, intermediate or secondary. ​I JUST LOVE THEM ALL, HELP! What level do you teach at and what do you love  about it? Let me know in the comments below... 

​
Ultimately, I can say that this placement really made me excited to have my OWN classroom one day! It is never the same when you come into someone else's classroom, start teaching someone else's students and someone is watching you; it is never 100% natural. I look forward to the day I can say I have my ​everything! (This may be sooner than later, but who knows.. I am simply excited for this new journey!) 

Finally being able to say that I am wrapping up my 2nd degree.. But not only that, my teaching degree is exciting but nerve wracking and a huge relief but still overwhelming. I would have a very long list of people to thank who have mentored me, helped me, spoken with me and shaped me into the educator I have become and continue to grow into. You all know who you are - so finally - Thank You. 

​Sarah Anne Lalonde


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personal reflection - week 9

4/21/2018

7 Commentaires

 
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I feel like I have been writing blog posts out the wazoo lately… but I am SO close to the end, why stop now, right? Ladies and gentlemen, we have made it to week 9!  Thanks so much for staying along for the ride.  You've all been so awesome and I truly feel as though I have a cheering squad behind me as I go through this placement. 
​

Il me reste encore la semaine prochaine, ainsi que 3 jours lors de la semaine d'après à mon stage. Pour moi, il est absolument nécessaire de poursuivre avec mes billets de blogue et de terminer en force. Commencer et finir une tâche ou un but, pour moi, est fondamental à ma philosophie personnelle et professionnelle. Aussi, j'ai bien hâte de retourner lire ces billets de blogues dans 2,3 ou même 10 ans! 
​

taking on a full course load 

This week was my first week taking on all 3 of my English classes (4U, 3C and 2P). What a challenge it was. Thankfully, I had spent my whole weekend preparing and felt good about where I was at. The Monday I was originally supposed to start was a snow day; yes - in April. But it was a great opportunity for me to really catch up on my marking, plan my lessons more thoroughly and have some quality time with my AT's of course! That Monday night, I was utterly nervous... But it just so happened that I was watching Zootopia when this song came on (& I tweeted about it the next day): ​
​

Today is day of "firsts" in my teaching journey. I am beginning to teach the essay to my 11C &Hamlet to my 12U groups! How I am feeling? Demonstrating a growth mindset & an openness to failing. This feature song from Zootopia pretty much sums it up: https://t.co/StWwdTEFs6

— Sarah Anne Lalonde (@sarahlalondee) April 17, 2018
For those who are not as big Disney fanatics as I am... This song, I believe is the perfect representation of the GROWTH MINDSET. Disney - you always know what to say...
​Some of the uplifting lyrics are:

"I still mess up but I'll just start again
I keep falling down, I keep on hitting the ground
I always get up now to see what's next
"


"I won't give up, no I won't give in
Til I reach the end and then I'll start again

No I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
"


"I'll keep on making those new mistakes
I'll keep on making them every day
Those new mistakes
"

Il y avait de quoi avec le fait de donner le cours de 4U... Est-ce que je ne me sentais pas assez confiante? Peur de ne pas assez stimuler leurs intérêts? Peur de ne pas être capable de répondre à leurs questions... I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Par contre, après que j'ai entendu cette chanson, je me suis rappelé du concept de la mentalité de croissance.  Je n'avais rien à m'inquiéter parce que c'est correct si ça ne va pas bien ou comme on l'espère la première, la deuxième ou même la septième fois. Je dois avouer que c'est beaucoup plus facile parler de la mentalité de croissance, mais véritablement le vivre chaque jour à chaque instant est un défi.  

Entre autres, je crois que le tout s'est bien passé. Le beat est tellement différent avec un cours de 12e préuniversitaire que c'était plus familier! Les élèves ont aussi été géniaux avec moi, très respectueux et à l'écoute. Heureusement, le groupe a toujours envie d'apprendre! Ce qui fait en sorte qu'on peut passer à travers beaucoup de matière et avoir de bonnes discussions! 


finally...  

Something I have been always reflecting on as these weeks progress is how comfortable I am in front of the class, in the content I am teaching and with the relationships I am creating with the students. I've noticed that I can finally, absolutely positively say that I have little hesitation, little doubt and little anxiety with (at least) the two groups that I have been with for the majority of my placement. We (my class and I) have grown so much since the beginning of my placement and I can attest that I actually feel like my student's teacher, and I think that they truly feel as though I am their teacher as well. Why has it taken this long? Well, I believe that good things take time. And, I feel as though everything I have build up these 9 weeks have finally solidified, (However, sadly there is not much time left!) So now, I am wondering how I should end my last 1-2 days with them ? Any suggestions? 
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Igniting Educator’s Passion to take the Jump at the #OntarioSummit

4/15/2018

1 Commentaire

 
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It’s officially been ONE week this morning since I was on stage, microphone in my hand with 450+ pairs of eyes watching me and listening to me attentively during the Ignite speeches at the EdTechTeam #OntarioSummit in Cambridge at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School.

Some may wonder why I did not write this blog sooner, you know, when there was still some buzz going around the Ontario Summit. Still, I decided I wanted everything to sink in and see the “long term” ripple effect before I truly wrote down my impressions of it all.
​

Let’s talk briefly about the weeks before the Ignite. I’ll be honest, sometimes, it wasn’t pretty. But, as I mentioned in my talk… You always have your PLN supporting you on your way down. Considering this, I need to take the time to give a ginormous shoutout to Stephen Hurley, Derek Rhodenizer, Kim Pollishuke, Emily Fitzpatrick, Sandra Chow,Jen Giffen,  Hélène Cormier, Joannie Girard, and Stephane Hunter who truly helped shape my Ignite into what it was last Sunday. I truly could not have done it without their support. You all believed in me when I didn’t necessarily believed in myself.

During the couple weeks before the summit, I lived a rollercoaster of emotions. There were low lows and high highs. Don’t quite understand what I mean? Here are some concrete example of things I thought / did…
  • DOUBT: “Am I crazy? Why did I decide to do this? I am not capable. I can’t do it.”  
  • FEAR: “What have I gotten myself into? I’m
  • CONFIDENCE: “Okay, I can actually do this… I’ve practiced it a couple times without screwing it up. Maybe I will be alright?”
  • ANXIETY: I would visualize myself on stage just simply screwing up, time after time...
  • EXCITEMENT: “I can’t wait to be on stage and spread my message!! This is my chance!”​


​It’s funny because my Ignite was about
taking the JUMP, taking the RISK, saying YES and how it’s not easy, you go through tons of emotions, your PLN will support you and in the end it’s worth it! Well, I lived that whole process from the moment I agree and said ‘Yes’ to Emily Fitzpatrick. That was my jump. Brainstorming, drafting up ideas, getting feedback, building the visuals, getting more feedback and practice, practice and more practice was the free fall until I presented it and I began to soar.


Now I was to focus on the summit weekend itself. My Saturday morning Starbucks run allowed me to receive a message from the universe that deeply affected me. Who would have thought, right?

​Have you ever seen those “Take what you need” boards? I found a message that resonated with me quite flawlessly; it said:  Inhale Confidence. Exhale doubt. I will admit, I believe in the power of “it was meant to be” and I truly believe that was meant for me to find and pick up.
​
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Saturday flew by! There was so much energy in the building. There were so many rich conversations being had. There were so many smiles brightfully showcased on everyone’s face. There were so many IRL meetups happening. There was so much LEARNING going on. There was so much coffee flowing… (I should have made that into a poem).

Considering how quickly Saturday came and left, that means that Sunday morning arrived even more rapidly. I hadn’t eaten and barely wanted to drink my Americano. I will always remember that morning, Emily asking me if I had eaten and how important it was to do so. I took her advice. (Who wouldn’t?!)

We did a full run through Sunday morning alone in the gym. I had the cold sweats. And, I was the last presenter. Everyone was going up, 1 by 1 and delivering their Ignites like experts. I loved, in this moment, that I felt as though we were a little family. Encouraging, supporting and clapping for one another. Although I had just met 80% of them for the first time, I felt safe to fail in front of them, because I knew they had my back. After I presented, I knew that next time I was going to be on stage, there was going to be a full house.
​
I cannot finish this blog post without mentioning how INCREDIBLE the other presenters were:
​
  • Kim Pollishuke and her Ignite Rule #6 gets me every time. She warmed the crowd up for us. She had them eating out of her hand, it was incredible. (Not to mention her singing skills - jaw dropping). ​​
 
  • Jason Trinh walked up on stage and had the crowd roaring of laughter after 30 seconds. It was magical. His personality and one liners helped him pass a very mighty message about the importance of knowing students names.
 
​
  • Vicki Morgado was poised and confident. Her inspiring Ignite focused on the power of giving students the opportunity to change the world! Wow! The personal examples she chose from her classroom truly reflected her message.


  •   Austin Gagnier, grade 10 student, walked on stage like this was his day job. Relaxed and easy going, he inspired the encouraged the crowd to look into “The Coding Thing”. What a performance to go up on stage afterwards.
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Then there was me:
PhotoCould you see the excitement in my face?
Throughout everyone’s presentations I was so inspired. I was also telling myself how EXCITED I was to go and speak rather than focusing on how NERVOUS I was. This was thanks to Chapter 14 of Mel Robinson’s book 5 second book that Helene Cormier had me listen to on the way up to Cambridge. What I learnt was the nervousness and excitement are the some feelings, so if you trick your brain by telling yourself how EXCITED you are, you will feel so so so much better - and I did.
I don’t think I can put into words the feeling you get when the person that went before you hands you the microphone. I took a deep breath, counted backwards from 5 and I jumped.

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​After it was all done, I had goosebumps. The flood of congratulations and connections that I made was unreal. The best part of this whole experience was not only getting to talk on stage for 5minutes. Rather, it was all of the connections after the fact! I encouraged the educators in the room to be accountable and share their #Jump with me, and did they ever. As I mentioned, the connections after the fact was overwhelming. How could I, a Teacher Candidate have inspired educators to take action? I still wonder… 

Having been given this opportunity to make a difference and inspire others on such a large scale still gives me chills because my thoughts, my words, my voice actually inspire people to do something and that is the power of these summits.
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If you’d like to hear the other inspiring Ignites, you can find the audio below, thanks to Stephen Hurley! 
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Personal Reflection - Week 8 - tHE profile of a modern teacher

4/14/2018

6 Commentaires

 
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This week, I wanted the focus of my blog to reflect on The Profile of a Modern Teacher (created by Reid Wilson @wayfaringpath) that look on the habits of mind. This is an image I have had saved on my phone for quite some time. On Monday of this week, I looked at this graphic of a modern educator and throughout the week I tried to work on 1-2 of these aspects. It was kind of fun!

​
​For example, on Tuesday I focused on “Allowing students to teach each other” and “Step outside of their comfort zone”. I did this by creating Literary Device experts, where students represented their literary device and had to lead a discussion on an element of their device in the novel. This was empowering not only for them, but for myself, to see them take the lead and explain the device in their own words showed me mastery.

I would love to take a deeper dive into each of these different habits and aspects of a modern teachers (Wilson), but due to a time crunch and a Hamlet Unit waiting to be constructed, I will simply showcase two aspects of that I believe to handle well and 1 that I need to improve on. A fun name for this is: 2 GLOWs and 1 GROW. I want to start doing this with my students… Having them reflect more. I do it, but I realize that I do not have them do it enough.  

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​my first 'glow': ​Question everything

This one was a no brainer. I have been reflecting / questioning / thinking about my practice, my lessons, my conversations, my interactions, my time management, my enthusiasm for my lessons, the way my body is feeling, etc. My brain has been working overtime! But questioning everything, not only fits in with reflection. But just asking more questions about everything. Whether it be in the content your teaching or the way you’re delivering it. Literally asking yourself, why am I doing this this way? How can I improve on this matter? What could I have done differently? What should I have asked that student instead of…. Questioning things is a skills I have improved on!
 

my second 'glow': being comfortable not knowing what is going to happen 

​This habit of the mind is something that I have essentially embodied. I have come to terms with just not knowing everything, not knowing what is going to necessarily happen during a lesson, while students are working on a project, etc. I’ve embraced the fact that you can’t prepare for every question the students may ask. For example, while giving a lesson on capitalization this week, I was asked “Why season were not capitalized, while days of the week and months were?”. What a great question! And I wasn’t prepared for that question and I didn’t know the answer. I believe that being comfortable not knowing what’s going to happen also goes hand in hand with the other aspects like: being vulnerable when something does happen and you don’t know what to say or have the answer.
​ 

MY 'GROW': Believe they can learn anything, given the right attitude and effort 

​Here is the thing… It’s not that I don’t believe I can learn anything with the right attitude and effort. Don’t get me wrong, I have a very open and growth mindset. However, I believe I need to improve on this habit because I often feel very overwhelmed with the AMOUNT of things I need to learn (for a certain lesson for example). I know this is just the reality of starting out as a teacher, but it can definitely feel as though you’re trying to overcome a very large mountain in a very short period of time. So, continuing with the right attitude and effort will allow me to overcome these feelings!

I want to know, what your your 'GLOW' and 'GROW' when considering this profile?
 

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personal reflection - week 7

4/6/2018

2 Commentaires

 
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​This week was short and so is this reflection. I have to give an IGNITE Sunday and that is where my energy and brain power is currently going to. 


​KEEPING AN OPEN MIND 

​This week, I learnt that walking into your classroom every day and treating it like a blank canvas is so important. That means, not bringing in the feelings from the day before, not bringing in the conversations you may have had a lunch, not bringing in the emotions from your personal life… You have 75 minutes per day with these students. You have to make them count; giving them 100% of yourself: your energy, time and love. Not starting with a blank canvas does not give the opportunity to surprise you and inspire you. All I can say is, let things goes…

BEING APPRECIATIVE 
​

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​Spring has sprung, well.. kinda… which means I have started to re-appreciate all of the little things I took for granted before winter, like the grass and the warmer weather. That being said, I also realized that appreciating these little things the earth gives you, as an educator can be a great strategy for combatting stress!  
  
It is so easy to be overwhelmed by all the things that we have to do as teachers - dare I name them all? No. Because of all of this worry to accomplish everything looming over your shoulders and checking off our To Do List, we often forget to appreciate the little things in life. I live this constantly. I often become stressed, but when I overthink all of these things and feel my anxiety building up, I simply take a big deep breath and be grateful. I think about all of the things I can be thankful for and appreciate. 

​Here is a list of some of the things I have been appreciating recently:
  • Hearing birds singing outside my classroom window
  • Holding a warm coffee cup in my hands
  • Smelling the warm FRESH spring air
  • Standing sunshine, rays of light, getting
  • Taking the first sip of coffee in the morning
  • Being able to listen to the radio when I get into my car and drive home
  • Coming home to a hot cooked meal  
 
Actively feeling grateful for these things make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside; they seem to give me the energy to be perseverant and carry on. I want to know, what are some things that you can reflect on and be thankful for?  Inspire others and let me know in a quick list below :)


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    Sarah Anne
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    Si j'attends pour la perfection, je n'écrierais  jamais un mot... 

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